Person Behind The Mask
by KrazynKuki
Summary: Time to see behind the looking glass, to see the person behind the mask. Take my soul or give it back, but just remember, my heart may crack. And should the pieces never mend, I'll take your soul and bring your life to its end. Adopte from Gloria. Thanks Gloria!
1. Chapter 1

This Story was adopted from Glaux Bryonia. Thank You for the story and I will do my best!

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The soft murmurs of the small groups of businessmen quietly drifted up to the balcony where a young man was silently watching the people beneath him.

Hao sighed tiredly as he ran his hand through his hair.

Up until now everything went as planned; everyone was relaxing and enjoying themselves as the personnel worked to make the meeting run smoothly. Tonight was a very important night for those that had gathered in this luxurious Grand Hotel. It was a night to create new friendships and build connections between the many different enterprises whose representatives where all gathered here, in the large meeting room of the gigantic building.

Tonight was also the beginning of one week of Hell for the personnel and one week of Heaven for the people downstairs. Why? Because throughout the week dozens of meetings, congresses, lectures and presentations would be held in nearly every corner of the building.

He sighed again. _Really now, don't they have anything better to do?_ He looked down on the small crowd, bored and lost in thought. Soon the dinner would be served which the kitchen personnel had slaved on since early morning and Hao would be one of the hosts that would interact with the ridiculously rich guests and make sure nothing ruined the pleasant evening.

Absent-mindedly he let his eyes wander through the large, lounge-like hall in which the gathering was held. The hall itself was about eight meters high and was decorated in a style that was a mix between Modern, Renaissance and Victorian; a strange blend that surprisingly worked very well. The entire room breathed an air of luxury and comfort. The floors made from cream-colored marble, covered with expensive rugs and the walls where a mix between rich cream and dark sienna, decorated with a delicate golden pattern. Now normally Hao found such patterns distracting and annoying but whoever designed the room had known what he was doing; the gold blended in with the sienna and cream in a way that the designs where only clearly visible when you really looked at them. The mystery designer had also used expensive artworks to break up the otherwise monotone planes. Halfway the gigantic walls and on the same level as the balcony, ran a golden band that split the impressive height in two; the upper part of the walls was a soft pastel variation of the sienna which went well with the decorated lower half.

In the corners of the grand room stood large pillars that connected the floor to the ceiling while similar pillars supported the balcony he stood on. Each pillar consisted of a base, a shaft and a capital; every piece beautifully crafted and made out of the finest marble. The base and capital of each column was made out of the same creamy marble as the floor; the shafts however were made out of a beautiful red marble and consisted of several thinner shafts, which twisted elegantly around each other. While the shafts where smooth the bases and capitals were decorated in the style of the Greek Corinthian columns; where the capitals met the ceiling the decorations blended in with the Corinthian columns; where the capitals met the ceiling the decorations blended in with the extraordinary decorations on the ceiling. From said ceiling hung an enormous glistening monster, known as the chandelier.

Hao always pitied the people who had to clean it. It was five meters wide and just as tall; an absurdity made out of silver and gold ornaments and crystal, that scattered hundreds of tiny rainbows across the walls. One might expect such decorations to clash with anything modern but then again, the modern elements didn't lay in the decorations. Rather is lay in the clean design of the room, in the dark wooden saloon tables with glass tabletops, in the lighting and, of course, in the beautiful bar from which the drinks were served. The balcony he stood on was on the right side of the large double doors that led to the entrance hall and could be reached by stairs on both sides. On the other side of the room similar doors led to the dining area.

Right across the room was a gigantic fireplace around which most of the ridiculously comfortable armchairs and sofa's were gathered. The fireplace was another horror for the cleaning personnel since they burned a real fire in it instead of those cheap electrical fake fires that where so popular these days. The soft, clear sound of a silver bell pulled the brunette out of his musings and drew his attention to his colleague who was announcing the start of the seven-course dinner.

As the crowd slowly disappeared into the other room he stretched and checked if his uniform was still in order. He was wearing a suit with a deep red jacket and black pants with a white dress shirt and a black tie. The jacket was embroidered with the logo of the hotel, which resembled one of those old family emblems, with elegant curls surrounding a mansion. It was the standard host outfit but somehow whenever he wore it, it looked ten times better than normally.

Walking past a mirror on the way down he checked his appearance once more; his dark hair cascaded over his shoulders down his back to end at his waist in an alluring way that always had the girls sighing in awed envy. Not a single strand was out-of-place.

He smirked.

_Showtime._

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Yoh sighed.

He was quite sure he had never been this bored in his life. He leaned back in the big armchair with a groan but couldn't suppress a smile at the wonderful feeling of the soft cushions. _At least I'm comfortable._

It was true. The armchair was the epitome of luxury; made out of smooth, deep red leather and dark wood it was the kind of chair you could spend your entire day in. It was the perfect chair for Yoh. Maybe he could catch some sleep he mused. But then again, his father would kill him if he discovered his son was slacking off while he was supposed to pay attention to everything around him.

As the heir of an extremely influential, multinational enterprise he was expected to hold his own in similar meetings within a few years time and therefore his father decided this event made a perfect learning experience. While Yoh debated with himself whether or not the risk of getting caught was worth a few minutes of sleep he was pulled out of his dilemma as one of those dressed up penguins asked for attention. With some difficulty he suppressed a giggle at that thought.

_Hmm, seems like diner is ready._

A soft rumble from his stomach prompted him to get up and move along with the crowd to the dining area and see what kind of food was being served. When he walked through the door he gasped. He had been speechless when he entered the other room for the first time, but this one was just as magnificent. The ceiling wasn't nearly as high as in the other room but that wasn't necessary because this one was entirely constructed out of glass, along with two walls; the one on the right and on the opposite side of the room. It was fashioned in the style of a Victorian greenhouse, with vine and leaf-like decorations on the dark metal frames.

On the floor was a soft sand colored carpet and the other two walls were a light reddish-brown,decorated at the top and bottom with golden plant-like designs. Scattered al over the place where large round tables, each capable of holding about twenty till thirty people. The tables where covered with white linen and all that was missing where the actual dishes.

Yoh looked around.

His father was nowhere in sight so he assumed he was free to sit wherever he liked.

In no time he spotted the perfect place: a smaller table in the corner that gave a good view of the spectacular garden. Since it was already dark outside the garden lighting was illuminating the well kept paths and the sculptures that where tastefully hidden among the green. Seconds after he sat down he was joined by a group of elderly men who were discussing something in a foreign language; they took place on the opposite end of the table and ignored him completely. He made a face. Since they hadn't even bothered to greet him he knew they were going to ignore him the rest of the evening as well.

_Oh well, thank goodness for the garden._

Already resigning himself to a lonely diner, he was shocked when someone addressed him.

"Is it alright if I sit here?" a clear, melodic voice asked.

Quickly he looked up, only to be shocked again as he laid is eyes on the most gorgeous person he had ever seen. Intelligent onyx eyes looked back at him with polite curiosity. The young man was dressed in the uniform of the hosts which meant that he would be joining them in their meal to explain what the different dishes where, answer questions and generally make sure everyone had a good time. His hair was a deep, shiny, dark brown color and longer than Yoh had ever seen on a man, and his skin was lightly tanned and absolutely flawless. The eyes where two pools of darkness framed by long eyelashes, which stood in a stunning, almost aristocratic face, with thin, elegant eyebrows delicately arched above them.

Simply said, he was the kind of guy that girls dreamt of while he easily surpassed them in both beauty and looks.

Yoh suddenly remembered the stranger's question and blushed.

"Y-yeah, it's fine." he stammered.

Hao smiled at him as he sat down next to him. He had caught the young teen's staring and found it terribly amusing to see him so flustered already. He studied the youngster while the other was still looking away in embarrassment. Their resemblance had been the first thing that had caught his eye as he had approached the other. There where quite a lot similarities in their faces although the other's face was far more childlike, with big innocent eyes and a peaceful smile, while his own face resembled that of a (young) adult. The younger boy had soft, slightly tanned skin and hair also very much like its own; the main difference being the length of the dark tresses. Where his fell past his waist the others hair merely brushed his shoulders. The only other difference was that the boy's hair looked incredibly soft where his own was rather slippery instead of soft.

The young male was dressed in a dark grey three-piece-suit with a dark blue tie and he was obviously uncomfortable in the formal attire; not because of bad craftsmanship but because it clearly didn't fit the kind of person he was. As their eyes met again he noticed the boy couldn't keep his eyes of him . This time Hao captured the gentle eyes of the other.

Yoh blushed a bit more but couldn't break free from the steady gaze that was sent his way. In his mind he tried to guess the other male's age and decided he couldn't be much older than him, probably besting him with a few years.

"May I ask your name?"

Yoh blinked at the sudden question. "I-it's Yoh… Yoh Asakura."

Gods how he hated his stammering right now. Hell, this guy was just being nice and he was stuttering like some little kid!

A gentle smile turned into a grin. "Well hello Yoh, pleased to meet you. My name is Hao Douji. As you probably already guessed: I will be your host tonight."

The slightly formal introduction only seemed to fluster the younger boy more. On the inside he was laughing at the boy's nervousness, it was funny how he was already captivated by his looks. He definitely needed to tease Yoh a bit more, that blush looked cute on him!

Pushing his mirth aside he remembered his duty. After introducing himself to the other people at the table who immediately dismissed him and ignored him as well. Hao glanced towards the personnel entrance. When the chef gave the sign 'ready' he would have to announce the first course. As if on que the chef appeared in the doorway and gave him a nod. By tradition the man would stand near the entrance to make sure only perfection was presented to the guests.

"Excuse me, I'll be back in a moment." Yoh looked startled but nodded anyway as Hao stood up and walked to the corner closest to the personnel entrance, where a big patch of space was reserved for speakers.

As Hao took his place in front of the audience he picked up one of the crystal wineglasses from the table with beverages behind him, along with a small silver spoon. Right now he was all business. Gently he tapped the spoon against the crystal, creating a bell-like sound that quickly drew everybody's attention.

"Lady's and Gentlemen, may I please have your attention." Hao paused to make sure everyone had stopped talking "The first course is ready to be served. Tonight we start with three small dishes: the first is a Carpaccio," as he spoke the waiters brought out the dishes and efficiently distributed them among the guests.

Yoh could only stare at Hao. He had walked away with such grace Yoh couldn't take his eyes off him. The sound of the glass dragged him out of his stupor. Hopefully this meant what he thought it meant… _Finally!_ The moment he got his plate in front of him he no longer listened to what Hao was telling. He was hungry damn it!

Unfortunately proper etiquettes demanded that he'd wait until the host was done speaking and everyone had his plate, but he had a hard time controlling himself. _Hopefully my stomach won't start protesting. That would be really embarrassing._

Lucky for him, Hao was done quickly and he could begin. He wasted no time and immediately dug in, nearly moaning at the sheer deliciousness of the dish as tears of bliss ran down his face. Soft, melodic laughter made him look up at Hao as he rejoined him at the table.

"My, My, you must have been hungry." A soft red graced his cheeks again at the teasing.

"A-ano…"

Hao smiled. "There's no need to excuse yourself; on contrary, the chef will be glad to hear his dishes were received so well." Leaving Yoh in stunned silence, Hao started on his own plate.

As the evening proceeded Yoh got more comfortable with Hao's presence and by the time the sixth course arrived he talked with him as if he was an old friend.

Hao was enjoying himself as well. Yoh was an easy person to talk to and he found himself charmed by the innocent teen. The boy still harbored many childish qualities that amused Hao to no end. Although Yoh was shy when it concerned something personal, he could easily chatter over an hour about all the amazing things he had seen in the hotel. Right now he was talking about how much he had loved the chair in the meeting area and how he wanted to take a walk through the huge garden. _Yup, just like a kid._

A few seconds later he looked up, curious to see why Yoh had suddenly gone quiet and found him staring at the dessert in delighted shock; almost as if he hadn't know what was coming…which was probably the case since Yoh clearly hadn't been listening when Hao announced the course to everyone and explained what it was. He looked down on his own serving of the high-class clump of sweetness. Sure, it was trifle and sure, it looked good; still it was no explanation for Yoh's odd state of mind. Puzzled, he thought back on the things Yoh had told him about himself in the last two hours and tried to find an adequate reason for Yoh's odd reaction to the cold dessert.

N_ow let's see, it's trifle with firm, not to sweet, cake as the base; on top of that is an ample layer of thick orange curd with small pieces of orange in it. On top of the curd are blueberries and pieces of dark chocolate with a thick citrus syrup poured over them, topped of with clotted cream and, again, the citrus syrup… At least, that is the description the chef gave me. So what could be in it to make Yoh react like this…_

The answer hit him with a resounding 'smack' and he could slap himself for not realizing it sooner.

_Of course. The oranges._

Looking back at Yoh he had to smile at the childish glee with which he enjoyed the fluffy sweetness.

"Oh my God, Hao, you have to try this! It's sooo good!" Yoh squealed in delight.

Hao couldn't help but laugh at Yoh's antics. "Yeah, yeah, I know. It's the chef's specialty."

"What? So you've eaten it before already!… some people have too much luck" he mumbled. "Hey, do you think I can get the recipe?"

"Hmm, don't know. But if you want it, I'll ask" answered Hao sincerely. He was shocked when he suddenly found Yoh's face mere centimeters from his own.

"Will you do that? Oh, please, please, please, will you do that for me?" Big, pleading puppy eyes blinked up at him.

Sighing he pushed Yoh back a bit. "Alright, alright, I'll ask… now don't cause a scene."

"YAY, thank you!"

He smiled softly as he watched Yoh do a small happy-dance. He really liked this kid. He was so full of energy and bubbling happiness it was contagious. Absent-mindedly he wondered if Yoh would still like him after this night. After all, what he was planning for him wasn't something that made normal people like him.

_Oh well, I guess we'll see…_

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I'll be posting this slow so Don't expect all four chapters to just drop out of the blue. Gloria had made changes that I want everyone to read through and have an understaning of everything thats going on. Thanks again Gloria, and I look forward to any stories you might be posting next!


	2. Chapter 2

Apoted from Gloria, Check her out!

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Nighttime had hidden most of the garden in dark shadows, making the dimly lit lanterns along the many paths seem like they hovered in the air without any support. The moon shone brightly, casting a silvery sheen over everything and making the area look like the mysterious garden from a fairytale castle.

_Hao truly is beautiful…_ Yoh thought as he looked at his new friend. In the moonlight, his hair was like liquid darkness and his skin seemed to glow with the same light as the celestial body above. Even after being in his company for several hours, Yoh still wasn't used to the exquisite looks of the other. Hao noticed his staring and smiled at him, making him blush for the umpteenth time this evening.

After dinner, they'd decided to take a walk in the vast garden of the hotel. He had been quite surprised when Hao offered to accompany him since he thought Hao had an other job to do, but Hao had explained to him that each host had to take care of the people at his or her table and because the group of foreigners had joined another group, he had only Yoh to take care off.

Yoh still thought it was a bit odd for him to serve only one guest, but he couldn't really say he minded. He still wanted to talk and get to know the other better so this was actually a very good opportunity to do so. After tonight his spare time would be drastically shortened and the chances of running into Hao again in the enormous hotel where pretty slim anyway.

So now they were here, in a secluded area amidst some old trees and wild flowerbeds. Behind the bench they were sitting on was a steep rocky slope, like the remains of an ancient building, that surrounded them with its crescent-moon shaped walls. A narrow path that looked more like a dried-up riverbed lead to the top of the slope and disappeared among the bushes. Another path paved with big pieces of slate lead through the dense vegetation on the other side of the small  
clearing, to the better known areas of the garden.

A small stream happily gurgled its never-ending song somewhere close by, adding a soft clattering sound to the noises of countless night creatures and rustling leaves. Somewhere in the distance the shrill cry of a bird was heard and from the trees on the slope the dignified hooting of an owl sounded in response. Some insects where making a racket in the bushes and three small bats where recklessly flying around with neck breaking speed, probably catching flies and mosquitoes. It was beautiful and quiet, peaceful and in a weird way exciting to sit here in the dark, watchingthe stars and nature together with Hao.

A tiny voice kept nagging in the back of his head that he shouldn't be here, wasting his time with someone who got paid only to serve him. His father certainly wouldn't be happy with it, but then again, he hadn't seen or heard from the man since early in the afternoon, when he left him alone in favor of speaking with people from another company. Suddenly, a loud ring tone shattered the peace and Yoh frantically searched his pockets for the vociferous device while Hao shot him a curious glance.

Quickly he checked the caller ID before answering.

_Speak of the Devil and He shall appear._ How true the old saying seemed now. With a sigh he steeled himself for the troublesome talk.

"Moshi Moshi?"

"Where are you?"

Yoh cringed at the harsh, demanding tone. "A-ano, I'm…"

His father interrupted him. "Doesn't matter, it's not what I'm calling for. Listen," Yoh heard someone talk in the background and his father answered before returning to his talk. Yoh was surprised.

_What's going on?_

"Yes?" Yoh asked wondering who the voice was.

"I'm calling to tell you I won't be there to attend any meetings. Because of this I won't be able to teach you so you'll have the rest of the week off. You can stay at the hotel until I'm back."

_Nothing surprising about that._ His father had been bothering him about these meetings for weeks, no, months, and now he wouldn't come? The question was out before he could get a hold on himself.

"Why?"

"An opportunity presented itself. The people I wanted to speak to most showed up and are willing to talk. We're off to a more private hotel where we can work in peace since this hotel is so crowded.  
The negotiations will take all week or even longer."

"So I'm not going with you?"

"No, these are important, delicate matters and you're not skilled enough yet to help. You will have to find something to amuse yourself with this week, I don't have time to take you home. Going to the meetings won't be beneficial for you at all since I won't be there to guide and help you. If you want, I'll assign someone to pick you up, but the rooms have been paid in advance so if you go or not is up to you."

Yoh glanced at Hao, who was watching the acrobatic antics of the bats. It was a perfect opportunity to spend more time with his new friend and to get to know him better. He smiled at that thought.

"No, I don't think that's necessary."

A confused pause on the other side was quickly followed by understanding. "You met someone you like?"

Yoh blushed.

He knew his father referred to his tendency to befriend someone nearly every time he went away, but this time he wasn't so sure that was the case… still, he wasn't going to tell his father that.

"Yes. I met him at dinner and I want to get to know him." He caught Hao grinning at him, which only made his cheeks turn even redder. Apparently, the other had understood what he was talking about.

He could hear the smile in his father's voice when he replied. "I see. Well, you'll have time enough for that, assuming he's staying at the hotel as well."

Yoh smiled. "He works there." He could imagine his father's eyebrow raising at that reply.

"In that case you shouldn't bother him to much."

Yoh felt a bit sad at that. "I know."

"Well then, good luck and have fun. I got to go, they're waiting for me. Bye."

"Bye dad."

For a moment Yoh could only stare at his phone trying to progress everything. Hao, who had been eavesdropping the whole time, quickly turned away before he could be discovered. He couldn't believe his luck. He had been wondering how to get Yoh away from his father's influence, but now the boy was handed to him on a silver platter. A whole week, eh? A lot can happen in a week…

A sad, wicked smile twisted his handsome features.

He felt Yoh shift beside him and he quickly schooled his expression. He was pulled out of his musings by Yoh, who happily told him the good news.

He felt horrible.

Yoh was a good kid and it was a pity that despite the extra time, he had to do 'that' tonight. If only he hadn't pushed it so much, then it wouldn't be necessary to jeopardize their new friendship like this; Hell, he might even have been able to get Yoh to get along with it. He sighed inwardly. It was highly likely that tomorrow wouldn't be pleasant. He only hoped that Yoh's kindness and forgiveness would keep any really ugly things from happening.

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To say Yoh was happy was an understatement. To say he was exited was one as well. 'Ecstatic' was a more accurate description, but even that didn't properly describe Yoh's joyous jumble of emotions. The reasons for his delight where quite simple. For one, he was unexpectedly relieved of the dreaded task of sitting through boring meetings for a whole week.

Secondly, instead of the 'horror week' as he dubbed it, he got to spend the whole week in one of the country's most luxurious hotels doing whatever he wanted. Thirdly, he got to spend the whole week with the most intriguing person he had ever met and even better: this person was his new friend! Add to that the fact that he had the nagging suspicion he was rapidly developing a crush on Hao, and he could rightfully say he couldn't have been more lucky.

Currently, he was giving air to his feelings by nearly dancing on their way back to the hotel, with a head-splitting grin plastered on his face and his friend trailing behind him with an amused expression.

Hao chuckled. "Yoh, you'll catch flies if you keep smiling like that." he called.

Yoh only laughed as he continued to skip down the path. Hao shook his head, laughing softly at Yoh's silliness. It was nice to see someone so happy with something as simple as a week off. Suddenly, he heard a startled scream and a loud splash. Immediately he started to run to catch up with the teen. When he rounded a corner he came to a screeching halt at the sight before him. For a few seconds he could only stare. Then he burst out laughing, having to hold his stomach and lean against a tree to stay upright. Apparently, Yoh had been looking behind him while 'walking' down the road and had tripped over a thick root, and somehow he had managed to land face first in one of he many streams of the  
garden.

This one was crystal clear, about three meters wide and ankle-deep. Normally it had only cobblestones and sand as it's bedding, but this time it also happily bubbled its way around Yoh, who was lying sprawled out in the middle with a shocked expression on his face. Stunned, the young teen listened to Hao's tantalizing laughter at which a shiver ran down his spine  
and an embarrassed blush rose to his cheeks.

He pouted.

Then, the sound of the other's mirth swept any annoyance away. It sounded like silver bells and falling water, and blended in flawlessly with the gurgling of the water around him. He couldn't help but laugh as well.

_It must have looked pretty funny after all…_

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After pulling him out of the water, Hao had dragged Yoh to his hotel room to get dry before he caught a cold. Now Yoh was thoroughly enjoying a hot bath in one of the most beautiful bathrooms he had ever seen, while the other was away to get dry cloths for himself since he had gotten wet helping the teen out of the miniature river.

The bathroom was a large, spacious area with a cream-colored, marble floor, which he suspected of being heated. The walls were covered with big, sand colored tiles, decorated with abstract patterns that resembled blooming bamboo in warm grey and gold; the itself bath was in the back and separated from the wash basin by a shouji screen. It was big enough to comfortably fit at least six people and had a lot of interesting extra functions like 'bubble bath' and 'whirlpool'.

From where Yoh was sitting he could see the door to the small sauna at his right, next to the shouji screen, and a wooden bench in the left corner, next to the transparent door of the shower. He knew that the shower was big as well, with a lot of separate shower heads that could be activated by a control panel inside. With that, you could get sprayed from all sides, even when you sat down on the seat that was designed for people with reduced mobility. The toilet had its own little room as well, behind the shouji, opposite of the wash basin. On one of the shelves near the bath stood a small oil burner which spread a delicate fragrance throughout the room, adding to the relaxing atmosphere.

After a more few minutes of gentle relaxation in the steaming water, the door of the bathroom opened, announcing Hao's return. Sitting up to greet him, Yoh froze and could only stare in stunned silence.

Before him stood his friend in an outfit that would have made him quite feminine if his whole being hadn't just screamed confidence and masculine elegance. His slender frame was covered by a simple but stunning, deep red kimono and his dark hair fell like glistering rivers of silk over his back and shoulders. The kimono was a mix between a yukata and a furisode kimono. It had wide sleeves, though not nearly as long as those of the furisode, and a broad, black obi that was fastened at his side with a simple knot and, just like the jacket he'd worn before, it was embroidered with the hotel's logo. On his feet he wore white tabi and black lacquered zori. For some reason Yoh couldn't help but compare him to the beautiful geisha he once met at one of his father's more exclusive meetings, and he decided Hao could have easily been a geisha as well, seeing how their work was slightly similar(*).

Yoh was dragged out of his daydreaming by Hao, who had approached without him noticing and who was now grinning and waving his hand in front of his face saying something like "Earth to Yoh" in a teasing tone. An intense vermillion colored his cheeks as he realized he'd been staring, which only darkened as the other laughed at his expression.

"Don't worry Yoh, I get that a lot." he chuckled.

Yoh pouted and muttered something like "…not my fault.", which only made him laugh more. Coughing and looking away, he tried to take the attention off his own discomfort and asked "Ne, Hao, why are you wearing a kimono anyways?"

"Hmm?" A slightly surprised look covered Hao's features before he blinked and smiled again. "Ah, this one you mean?" he said, gesturing to the crimson garment. "Because my clothes got wet and I needed something to wear. It's actually one of the uniforms." seeing the other's surprised look he continued to explain.

"The hotel has a few separate buildings in traditional style. If you take a room there, everything will be traditional; the rooms, the garden, the food and even the personnel will match the settings. Well, everything except the facilities. Those are very modern, 'cause no one would wish to go without a shower or a proper toilet." He laughed. "Those rooms are remarkably popular and are nearly always occupied. This," he motioned towards the robe again "is the uniform of the hosts of the Traditional Japanese Inn, and it is, in my opinion, the most comfortable of all uniforms."

_And the most beautiful._ Yoh added mentally, letting his eyes drink in the sight again. But it was not only beautiful; it was elegant and at the same time casual, not to mention it could be called seductive, or even sexy, when Hao wore it. Trying not to get into that last thought to much, he quickly asked "Are there more like that? Those Inns I mean."

"Well, there is the Chinese Pavilion. Where the Japanese Inn is more like a Ryokan, the Chinese Pavilion is more like the palace of a nobleman; very rich and a bit too much if you ask me." He shrugged and continued, "Then there is the Indian Arbour, which is completely in the style of old India. Also highly decorated but a bit closer to my preferences, if only for the relaxing atmosphere." Answering Yoh's question before it could be asked, he explained, "The designers tried to throw Indian Buddhism and Hinduism into the mix and they succeeded. It's very peaceful there. The last one is the Arabian Palace, which would be a good setting for 'Thousand And One Nights'." Looking at Yoh's clueless face he said "You know... the fairytale."

As realization dawned, Yoh couldn't help but gape in awe. He hadn't known the hotel was that big! "Ne Hao, can we go look tomorrow? They sound amazing!" Yoh was practically bouncing in excitement.

"No."

Immediately Yoh's face fell. "Aww, why not?" He whined.

Hao gave him a look. "Because it's a hotel, not an amusements park."

"… Oh" Yoh looked sheepish but on the inside berating himself for being stupid. Of course Hao couldn't just go and bring him to the special area's, those were private and probably very expensive, not to mention the fact that the guests there wouldn't appreciate anyone gawking at them…

Seeing Yoh look so sad made his heart twinge with guilt. He felt bad about making the teen all enthusiastic about the theme buildings only to disappoint him by telling him he couldn't go. After all, it wasn't like he couldn't go at all…

"Don't look so depressed, Yoh. If you want to see them you just have to make an appointment to visit some of the facilities there."

Hearing this made the teen perk up with interest. "Facilities?"

"Yes. Each of the traditional buildings has its own special facilities. For example: the Japanese Inn has real hot springs, the Arabian Palace has Turkish baths and the Indian Arbour provides many kinds of messages and extensive beauty treatments. They also have their own restaurants were traditional dishes are served." Hao grinned. "If you want to I can try to arrange something for you."

Seeing the boy's face light up at those words was answer enough. "Really? Will you do that?"

"Sure"

"YAY!"

The elder burst out laughing hearing the other's childish shout of joy. "Alright, alright, where would you like to go?"

Yoh looked thoughtful, tilting his head to the side like a puppy. Hao smiled, it was cute.

"…Ano…" After a few seconds he decided, "The hot springs."

_The hot springs, eh?_ Hao thought. Well, he certainly could agree with that choice, they where really nice and relaxing, not to mention an ideal place to go with a friend. If only tonight wouldn't be such a problem… He quickly pushed that thought away in favor of concentrating on entertaining Yoh. That was the least he could do to make up for what was to come…

"Okay, I'll see what I can do. Is there something you want to do now, besides relaxing in the bath…" he trailed off, smirking as Yoh's cheeks got re-accented with a natural rouge again. Maybe he should keep track of how many times he got the boy to blush in one hour. _It sure would be a quite interesting 'research'_… he chuckled inwardly.

In the mean time, Yoh was racking his brain for something to do. He didn't want Hao to leave yet… his friend had an air of mystery surrounding him, as if he would disappear the moment he closed the door behind him; like a dream that disappears when facing reality, only leaving fragments of illusionary memories behind… Hao blinked upon seeing the teen's facial expression turn slightly desperate as it took him a while to answer. _Was something wrong?_

"… Yoh?… Are you alright?"

"… I want a message" He blinked, caught off guard with the sudden request. The boy had been quite timid before; especially when asking for something, so he hadn't expected him to be so straight forward… But, oh well, why not?

Seeing the other's surprise, Yoh could've hit himself for being impulsive and blurting things out without thinking. _Aargh, why am I such an idiot? He whined to himself. A host doesn't give massages! Now he's gonna call someone and leave as soon as the guy gets here! Baka, baka, baka-_

"Alright. I'll see what kind of oils we have" the other said smiling gently. _A message, eh?_ He could do that… after all, as a good host, the least he could do was make sure Yoh was comfortable. A mirthless chuckle escaped him.

_-Baka, baka, baka-… huh? What did he say?_ He quickly looked up to see Hao rummage through the stuff on the shelf with the oil burner. Did that mean Hao himself would give the message? Relief flooded his system and he couldn't keep a grin from forming. He almost laughed out loud. Hao would be spending more time with him! He was so happy with the turn of events that he hadn't noticed that the other had placed five small bottles in front of him to choose from. However, his attention was drawn to them when the other spoke up.

"These are the ones that are here right now. If you want something else I'll have someone bring it here. There's 'Sandalwood and Bergamot', 'Rose Oil', 'Cassia and Lavender', 'Agar and Citrus' and 'Fruit Revolution'." He smiled at the boy in the bath. "Which one do you want?"

Yoh blinked. _Why so many different oils?_ Shrugging it off as one of the crazy things of luxury, he regarded the bottles with curiosity, cautiously sniffing the different liquids. Immediately he dismissed the flowery scented oils. Although subtle, they where too sweet in his opinion, not to mention girly. He didn't want to seem girly in front of Hao. 'Fruit Revolution' was quickly rejected as well; it smelled like a bottle of very concentrated fruit syrup instead of massage oil. _R__eally, wouldn't that stuff just attract flies and other pests? And who the Hell would want to smell like some kind of marmalade anyway?_ He wondered.

The two remaining scents where far more difficult to choose from. Both where quite similar; earthy, like an old forest, but with the fresh scent of the citrus family. He knew that sandalwood and agar where similar because of the way the scents where obtained. After all, both were made out of decaying wood, although two different kinds of trees. Combined with the agar was the sharp but refreshing sting of lemons. Together they made a strong but pleasant scent that calmed the heart and cleared the mind. Both bergamot and sandalwood had a softer and gentler scent than these counterparts, but together they gave of a soothing scent that put him at ease.

After a few minutes of comparing, thinking and comparing again he decided he preferred soothing and subtlety above calmness and clarity. All the while Hao had patiently waited for him to make his decision, and had kept himself busy by placing the shunned oils back in their place on the shelves and laying out clothing and towels for Yoh. having made his choice, Yoh hesitantly waited for Hao to finish up whatever he was doing. After a few minutes of silence the other looked over his shoulder at the younger male.

"You know, if you want me to message you I'd advise you'd get out of the water and get yourself dry." He teased.

Although slightly embarrassed by Hao's playful jab, Yoh stayed where he was as he felt heat rise to his face again. He wasn't really comfortable with walking around naked in the other's presence. He was about to ask Hao to leave or at least turn around when the older male interrupted him.

"I'll go and make preparations while you dry off. When you're ready, just come to me." He said grinning. "Oh and Yoh," he casually called over his shoulder "I've laid out some underwear and pyjama-trousers for you. They are on the bench, next to the towels." He chuckled to himself as he left the bathroom, knowing he'd managed to turn the boy's cheeks into cherry's again.

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

Yoh sat in the bath doing a horrible job at trying to get his face back to its normal shade and the warm water wasn't really helping either. The very idea that Hao had gone trough his stuff and touched his boxers was more than enough for the red hue to return the moment the image invaded his thoughts again. He groaned in distress. He couldn't face Hao looking like he had a permanent sunburn! He wanted to enjoy the message without having to worry about embarrassing himself.

_Hao… _

Just thinking about his friend made a shiver run up his spine and caused a strange feeling in his stomach. By now he was quite sure he was attracted to Hao, although he had never expected something like that to happen. He had made tons of friends with all kind of people but not once he felt even a little bit of the things he felt for the older male.

He sighed.

He had heard enough details from his friends to know he was in love, even though he'd never experienced the feeling before. In a way it made him happy, but on the other hand he was sad 'cause he'd never be able to maintain a normal friendship with Hao. It really was a problem, because the other didn't seem even remotely interested in him as anything more than a friend. But how was he supposed to act normal around him? The blushing was bad enough already in the beginning and with his newly discovered feelings he was starting to lose control completely!

He didn't really understand himself right now. Normally he was a laid back, easygoing person, capable of staying calm in any situation, but now he was constantly flustered and trying to keep Hao's attention directed at him. He hadn't expected to change that much just by being in love. He groaned again. _What the Hell is wrong with me? Why can't I be myself with him? _

A sudden knock on the door snapped him out of his more and more miserable thoughts as he heard Hao call for him through the door.

"Yoh? Is everything alright?" Hao called again when he got no response. "Yoh?"

"I'm fine!" He called back with a squeak, frantically jumping out of the water and quickly drying himself off. The 'okay' from behind the door sounded a bit hesitant, as if the other was starting to doubt Yoh's sanity.

Yoh cringed. _A__lright, enough acting like a little girl on her first date! Pull yourself together Yoh! _He breathed deeply in through his nose to calm himself as he put on the clothes Hao had prepared for him.

Opening the door he snapped back into his happy attitude solely on reflex.

_Good!_

"Sorry I've made you wait!" he said laughing, scratching the back of his head in fake embarrassment.

The other looked up from where he'd been sitting next to the window. "Ah Yoh, there you are. Don't worry about it, I haven't been waiting long." He said with a smile.

Yoh on the other hand was surprised by the amount of work Hao had already put into a simple massage. The curtains were drawn and the champagne-colored blankets where neatly folded at the foot of the queen-sized bed, where they could be easily pulled up again when he went to sleep. The night lights on the nightstand on both sides of the bed where dimmed, evoking a relaxing, almost romantic, atmosphere. In the dim lighting the other's mysterious aura was amplified and he looked even more like a geisha than before. His dark, silky locks where delicately fastened with black lacquered hairpins so they would stay out of his face, and his sleeves were tied back with black tatsuki sash.

Yoh looked down as he nervously fidgeted with the fabric of his pants. He frowned as he suddenly realized something.

He didn't own any cream-colored pyjamas.

"Hao…" he said hesitantly, "… who's pants are these?"

"Hmm?" He looked at Yoh. "Mine." he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Wha-"

"It's impolite to go through one's belongings without permission so I gave you one of mine." Hao interrupted. "Don't worry, they're clean."

A shocked silence answered that statement as Yoh's mind went into overdrive. He was wearing Hao's pants. _Oh god, what if…?!_

"… A-and the boxers?…"

Hao was amused by the boy's demeanor, although surprised by how freaked out the other seemed to be. "They where lying on the bed so I assumed they where yours." He narrowed his eyes, an amused smirk on his lips. "Is something wrong with that?"

"N-no, no, nothing wrong!" Yoh said hastily, relief flooding his system. _Good grief, if those had been Hao's as well_… A crimson blush covered his face at the idea.

_Was Yoh having naughty thoughts about him? _"So, if you're ready…" Hao chuckled as he directed the boy to the bed. He was highly amused with the other's actions. That, and a blushing, embarrassed Yoh was still adorable in his opinion. Glad to have something to distract him, Yoh climbed on the bed and laid down in the middle. For a moment he simply enjoyed the cool softness of the sheets and the perfect comfortably soft of the bed itself. Then he felt the bed dip as Hao kneeled next to him. He squirmed a bit, nervous with having the other this close to him.

He was so busy trying to keep the jitters under control, he almost jumped a mile when Hao touched him. He heard the other chuckle at his jumpyness. "Really Yoh, just loosen up a bit. You're way to tense if you are startled that easily." In Yoh's imagination Hao's voice sounded incredibly seductive as he whispered softly "Trust me and relax."

Attempting to do what the other asked, Yoh took a deep breath, hating how it shuddered a bit, before slowly letting the air escape. He barely felt the oil being poured on his back before surprisingly strong hands started to rub and massage it in. _So he heated the oil beforehand too_. He thought. _This feels nice…_

As Hao systematically worked his muscles loose Yoh slowly started to unwind. Finally the nerves gave way to a feeling of satisfaction. He sighed happily, now being able to enjoy the massage to the fullest. After some time his eyes started to droop a bit. The bath had made him drowsy and under his friend's masterful hands he was getting relaxed to the point the was almost sleeping. The soothing scent of the oil calmed his thoughts until the wasn't thinking at all and Hao kneaded his back so well he turned into putty under his hands. Tiny sighs of contentment escaped him as he started to drift of. The massage had been a very good idea after all.

XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX(xxxx)XXX

Hao had been working for a while when he noticed Yoh was slowly falling asleep. Gently continuing to massage his neck and shoulders he worked until he was absolutely sure the boy completely lost in the world of dreams. When he was confident the other wouldn't wake up he stopped and took a deep breath. Now he had to steel himself for what he was about to do.

_It is time. _

Chapter End Notes:

* For those of you that didn't get this part: geisha are professional hostesses. Contrary to popular (western) belief, geisha aren't a special kind of whores (although some could indeed also be hired to bed someone, but that didn't come as lightly as one might think.), but are respected women within the Japanese society. Or, as someone else put it: "Geishas are not prostitutes. They are entertainers. Touching a geisha is like molesting a clown or jester." Geishas are well-educated and skilled in the arts of traditional music, song and dance. They were seen as the epitome of beauty and refinement but the profession is disappearing since there are many other (easier) professions to replace it.

Its offensive to assume otherwise. In that time period there were _prostitutes_ and there were _geishas_, but if you have any confusions about it Gloria and myself recommend google.

Yukata = simple kimono, worn when going to sleep  
Furisode kimono = a formal kimono with very long sleeves, worn by (young) unmarried girls/women  
Obi = sash  
Tabi = Japanese socks with a single split between the toes  
Zori = (traditional) indoor sandals  
Baka = stupid/idiot  
Cassia = also referred to as cinnamon, although I believe it's not exactly that…  
Bergamot = a member of the citrus family, which also includes the better known  
lemons, mandarins and oranges.  
Tatsuki = traditional knotted cords or sash for tying back kimono sleeves


End file.
